Jack



Aug 27, 1940- E. G. GUNN y 2,212,539

JACK

Filed Aug. 5, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 1 I @QAM l.I-xug-27, 1940. E GGUNNv ,y2,212,539

JACK

f Filed Aug. 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2/ 2d F 23a. F 6. 1 7

Q zo Y /74 34 y 2f i i 22di y 34 l 45 L ,50 n

v I L l Patented Aug. 27, 194e Unirse srares amsn earner Iorigina Myinvention relates in general to improvements in jacks of the type inwhich the loadcarrying element is frictionally held against movementrelative tothe sup-porting element with respect to which it is adjusted.

More specifically my invention relates to jacks of the type as disclosedVin my copending appliv cation, Serial No. 246,048, filed December 16,1938, and covers various improvements over and in addition to thestructure disclosed in said application.

An important object of myinvention is to provide jacksof the typereferred to with a housing structure which substantially encloses theworking parts thereof for protection and at the same time serves `toperform operative functions with such parts when the jack is inoperation. Other and further objects of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of the annexed drawings, which disclose two embodiments ofmy invention.

On the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical section, with'parts inelevation, of a jack structure according to my invention with partsarranged for lifting or loadelevational purposes.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. l, with parts infragmentary elevation, disclosingv the arrangement Yof parts forreleasing or load-lowering purposes. i

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional 'View taken substantially along theline III-III of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lower portion of thejack housingas disclosed in Fig. l, showing the reversible locking meanswhich determines the arrangement of parts for load-elevational orload-lowering purposes.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but taken from the opposite side,showing `another embodiment of my invention. n

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view, with a part in fragmentaryelevation, of the jack housing of K Figure 5 as taken from the rear.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 5, with parts infragmentary elevation, disclosing the arrangement of parts for releasingor load-lowering purposes.

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken I substantially along thelinevVIIf-VIII of Fig; 5, with parts in elevation.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral l0 designates generally a jack according to thisinvention. This jackv has astandard ll upon which the operating housing2 is mounted to move lengthwise. 1 The standard li `is inthe form of acylindrical rod supportedby a base :member i3 having a detent ,lilinwhich the round end of the rod isseated.

The housing i2 is substantially cylindrical in shape, as shown in Fig.Y3, having side wall portions cut away to form `openings `l5 alongthelength thereof. At its upper end the housing is provided with a cap iiiof larger diameter `than that of the housing. This cap' i6 is secured tothe housing l l `bywelding or other suitable means,

or. can be a bulged portionintegral withjthehousingwalls.

Afportionof the side wall of vcap .i6 is pressed outwardly to form Yaprojecting` peak il which projects outwardly above one of the openings.-I5. An `integral endwall .i6 of the housing is pro*- vided with anopening lithrough which the standard li is received. i

A load-carrying member 26 is rotatably secured to the cap I6 and isprovided `with an opening 2i as a bearing in the top end of the housingfor the standard il. This load-carrying member '2li is suitably .shapedto-engageand `carry the load to be raised orlowered.

The top end of the standard ll has pinched ears E2 for limitingtheraising of the load-car rying member 26.. Limiting of the upwardmove-` ment on' the standard can `also be leffected by upsetting the topportion thereof as shown in Fig. 5.

A friction holding member comprises a pair of plates 23 having osetopenings. 2d through which the standard l i extendsl The long ends ofthe plates extend through one of thehousing openings l to bear againstthe cap projecting peak il. A `shelf 2li is secured to the inside of andacross the housing l2, by welding or other means, -at a `positionadjacent the load-carrying end. A

central opening 26 is provided in this shelf through ,whichvthe standardextends freely. A

j coil spring 2l seats on the shelf 25 and urges upper shelf 32 and alower coil spring 3B seats against the lower shelf 33.

`A flat vertically offset extension si projects `outwardly from thelower shelf 33 through the 'wider opening I5, as clearly shown in Fig.3. At

two points adjacent the bottom end of the housing l2 slots 3S rand 3Sare provided, as shown in Fig. Il. The lower slot 39 has a downwardprojection t while the upper slot has an upward projection tl, thelatter being shown in locked position in Fig. 4. An vopening 4Z, largerthan the projections 4D and 4I, is provided at one side of theextension-3l for locking the extension with the housing l2v at thepredetermined points 38 and 39. By disengaging the extension 3l fromeither of the slots 38 or 39, the spring cage is capable of being movedlongitudinally along .the standard il within the housing i2 by operatingthe extension plate manually. While this method only of locking thespring cage with the housing is shown in the drawings, other methodssuch as ,inclined slots in the housing or detents-in the extension platecan be used equally as well. Once the two parts are seated the springsin the cage provide the necessary tension or compression to hold them inengagement.

Referring again to Fig. 1, a friction control member comprises a pair ofplates 43 having central openings M through which the standard ilextends.. Normally these plates are held in a floating position on thestandard in transverse relation to the axis thereof by the cage springs35 and 36. A U-shaped housing l5 surrounds the standard and encompassesthe plates li?, lengthwise thereof. This housing t5 extends through theopenings l 5 in the housing walls and isprovided at itsl free end with atransverse opening llt. An operating lever socket il is pivotallyconnected to the housing 45 at the opening i6 by a bolt or rivet 43. Thelever socket tlis also provided with an opening i9 through .which a boltor rivet 50 pivotally supports the link 29 adjacent the pivot 33.

The link 29 extends upwardly into engagement between the slot 5l and thecap Iii. The lateral-` ly extending lug 28 of the link 29 bears upon theupper side of the top plate 23.

The'parts of Fig. 1 are so arranged lthat the operation'of the leversocket il causes the jack to operate` upwardly or in a loadfelevationaldirection. To operate in this direction, the spring cage Se is manuallylifted to engage and lock in the slot 38. By so doing, the lower spring35 urges the plates d3 upwardly. The link 29 limits the verticalmovementA of the ends of plates i3 adjacentr thereto so that theopposite ends are urged upwardly to a point in which the plates assume acanted position. This canted direction is such that downward pressure onthe plates i3 may be exerted without changing their position relative tothe standard against which they frictionally grip. l

Powerfor lifting a load, carried by the member Et, is applied throughthe link 29 by a lever (not shown) which is inserted in the lever socketlll.

vWith the lever fulcrumed at the stationary pivot 48; an upward swingingmovement thereof causes the link 29 to' lift the cap I6 together withthe load-carrying member and the load (not shown). Asnthe cap and itsdependinghousing l2 move upwardly, the lower spring 3% is contracted bythe'locked shelf 33 moving with the housing. As

soonA as the lifting force is `relieved by swinging the operating leverdownwardly, the contracted spring 36 expands to its full length ,andmoves the control plates 43 vertically. During this movement the load iscarried by the holding plates 23 which are canted to prevent downward,but not upward, movement. By swinging the operating lever upwardly anddownwardly the load may gradually be raised.

In this manner the load is alternately carried by the friction membersand results in a stepby-step upward or load-elevating movement.

In accordance with my invention, I provide means for reversing themovement of the load without affecting its raised position. This isshown in Fig. 2. While the raised load is` held in position by theholding plates 23, the extension plate 3l' is released from its lockedposition in the slot 38 and the spring cage lowered to a position inwhich it is again locked in the slot 39.

Compression of the spring 35 holds the plate 3l in locked relationbetween the opening fifi and the downward projection it of the housingl. As the movement of the ends of control plates 553, adjacent the link2a, are limited in a downward direction the spring 35 urges the controlplates to assume a canted position opposite that of the position in Fig.l. This canted direction is such thatupward pressure on the controlplates t3 may be exerted without changing their position relative to thestandard .against which they frictionally grip.

With the operating lever fulcrumed at the stationary pivot 8, a downwardswinging movement thereof causes the lug 28 of the link 2a to bear uponthe raised ends of the canted holding plates 23. By releasing thefriction of these plates against the standard the load is dropped withthey downward swinging ofthe operating lever. As soonas the lever swingsas far downwardly as the operator desires, a reversing of the swing ofthis lever upwardly releases pressure on the plates 23 by the lug 28. vThe spring 2l then cants the holding plates in a direction to hold theload stationary. The movement in a downward direction of theload-carrying housing i2 compresses the spring 35. By transferring theload from the control plates .13 to the holding plate 23; the compressedspring 35 expands to its full length to move the control platesdownwardly.

In thisV manner the load is again alternately carried by the frictionmembers and results in a step-by-step load lowering movement.

It is to be noted that a full control of the load, when moved in eitherdirection, is possible at all times and that the jack housing is animportant part inthe operating function of the jack.

Figs. 5 to 8 disclose another embodiment of this invention. All of theparts of Figs. 5 to 8, which are identical with those in l to 4, carrythe same lreference numerals. `All of the parts which are similar butnot identical, carry the same reference numerals with the addition of asubscript a,

The reference numeral generally designates the jack according to thisembodiment. The cap ia is provided with a projecting peak ila whichprojects suicientlyoutward to enclose the free end of the link 29a. Thestandard has its free end v22a. upset yto limit vertical movement of theload-,carrying member 20. A spring shelf 25a is disclosed as beingsecured within the ,housing l2 by projections 25h therethrough insteadof welding as in the previous embodiment i The embodiment disclosed inFigs.V 5 to 8 is Y'directed largely to the 4change in the operatinglever mechanism. The U-shaped housing 45a is changed only with respectto its pivot ends 75 which extend suiiciently outward from the jack toallow for the operation of the link 29a in a more nearly verticalposition. The housing 45a is provided with a pivot opening 45a topivotally support the operating lever socket 41a by a bolt or rivet d3.As shown in Fig. 5, the socket Ma is shaped to receive a lever 52 forapplying power to the jack.

The socket fila is also provided at its end with ,a pivot opening litathrough which a countersunk rivet Sil (see Fig. 8) supports the lowerend of the link 29a. The link 29a passes upwardly between the extensionsof the U-shaped housing 45a `and between the control plates t3 and theoperating lever pivot t8. At its upper or free end, the link 2da isprovided with an inwardly extending lug 26a which bears downwardlyagainst the holding platesv 23. The top of the link 28a bears upwardlyagainst the cap i 5a and is confined therein by the projecting peak Ila.

Operation of the jack in this embodiment is similar to that of theprevious embodiment, eX- cept that theswinging operation of theoperating lever 52 for either load-elevational or load-lowering purposesis reversed due to the reverse position of the link pivot 50 relative tothe operating lever pivot 58.

Fig. 5 discloses the arrangement of parts for elevating a, load byswinging the operating lever downwardly. Fig; 7 discloses thearrangement of parts for lowering the load by swinging the operatinglever upwardly. Fig. 8 more clearly discloses the arrangement of partsof the operating lever mechanism.

. i movable thereon, a holding member adapted to frictionally grip thestandard whenV canted in one direction and resist downward movement ofthe load-carryingv member thereon, a control lever mounted on thestandard, means actuated by L said control lever for canting saidholding member in the reverse direction to release its grip upon thestandard, and a housing secured to and depending from the load-carryingmember and surrounding said standard, said holding member beingreleasably supported against said housing at the load-carrying end in acanted position and operated by said control lever.

2. In a jack of the class described, the com-v bination of a standard, africtional holding member and a frictional control member mounted onsaid standard and each adapted to grip the standard to hold said membersagainst movement, a housing supported by the holding member and adaptedat one end to support a load, said housing surrounding the standard andfrictional members, an operating lever pivotally mounted on said controlmember, means operatively connecting said lever with the housing andholding member for moving the housing upwardly on said standard, saidmeans being adapted to be actuated by said operating lever for releasingthe holdingmember to lower said housing on the standard, and means foradjusting the control member to hold it against movement in eitherdirection depending upon the direction of movement of the load-carryinghousing.

3. In a jack of the class described, the oombination of a standard, ahousing surrounding said standard and having one end adapted as aload-carrying member, upper and lower friction control membersoperatively associated with the housing and adapted to interlock withsaid standard when in relative angular position therewith, andreversible means associated with one of said control members forcontrolling both of them alternately for imparting a step-by-stepmovement to the housing in either direction.

4. In a jack of the class described, the combination of a standard, anoperating housing, a load-carrying member secured at one end of saidhousing, said housing and load-carrying member movable on the standard,a holding member Voperatively associated with said housing and adaptedto frictionally grip the standard to hold the housing against movementin a downward direction when the holding member is canted in onedirection, an operating lever mechanism mounted on said standard withinand operatively asso-l ciated with said housing, and a link operated bysaid lever mechanism and operatively connected with the load-carryingend of said housing for raising the housing on the standardsaidlinkfadapted to Cant the holding member in the reverse direction torelease its gripping action on the standard and permit the housing tomove downwardly thereon.

5. In a jack of the class described, thercombination of a standard, aload-carrying member movable on said standard, a housing secured to anddepending from the load-carrying member and surrounding the standard, aholding member adjacent the load-carrying end of said housing, anabutment supporting seat in said housing below the holding member,resilient means supported bysaid seat to urge said holding memberagainstrthe end of said housing in a canted direction to frictionallygrip the standard and hold i the housing against movement in a downwarddirection, an operating cage having resilient means carried by saidstandard within the housing and movable longitudinally therein, saidcage being adjusted in either direction exteriorly of said housing, acontrol member associated with said cage to normally float freelybetween the resilient means therein on the standard, said cageadjustment canting the control member to grip the standard therebydetermining the direction of movement of the housing on the standard, an

operating lever mechanism pivoted on said control member, and a linkpivotally secured to said lever mechanism, said link being operativelyassociated with the load-carrying end of said housing for applying powerthereto when acting in one direction and operatively associated withsaid holding member for' releasing it when acting in the oppositedirection.

6. In a jack of the class described, the combination of a standard, aload-carrying member movable on said standard, an elongated cap securedto and depending from the load-carrying member, a cylindrical housingsecured to and depending from said cap, said housing having opposed wallopenings along the length thereof, friction holding plates carried bythe standard within the housing, a shelf extending transversely of thehousing adjacent the load-carrying end thereof, a coil spring seated onsaid shelf to hold the holding plates against said cap in a canteddirection to frictionally grip the standard and V7:5

lower shelves within said housing, said cage adapted to be adjusted ineither direction eX- teriorly of said housing to a position in lockedrelation therewith to determine the direction of movement of the housingon the standard, friction control plates carried by the standard betweenthe cage springs, an auxiliary housing encompassing the control plates,an operating lever pivoted on said auxiliary housing, a link pivotallysecured to the operating lever having its free end confined between saidcap and said holding plates, said cage adjustment canting the controlplates about the axis of the lever pivot so as to grip the standard whenthe lever mechanism is operated whereby the link acts on the cap orholding plates depending upon the vdirectidn of movement of the housing.

'7. In a jack of the class described, the combination of a standard, aload-carrying member movable on said standard, a housing secured to anddepending from said load-carrying member,

said housing having wall openings along the length thereof, a frictionholding plate adjacent the load-carrying end of said housing, atransverse shelf secured within the housing, a spring between said shelfand holding plate to hold the latter in a canted position tofrictionally grip the standard and hold the housing against downwardmovement, a movable operating cage carried by the standard within saidhousing and dening upper and lower shelves, said cage adapted to beadjusted in either direction to a position in locked engagement with thehousing, upper and lower springs seated against said shelves, a frictioncontrol plate supported between the springs of said cage and adapted tobe canted to frictionally grip the standard when the cage is adjusted toa locked position, an operating lever pivoted to the control plate, anda link pivoted to said operating lever for applying power to lift thehousing when said cage is adjusted to a position in which the controlplate is canted in a direction to grip the standard against downwardmovement thereof.

8. In a jack of the class described, the combination of a standard, aload-carrying member movable on said standard, a housing secured to anddepending from said load-carrying member, said housing having wallopenings along the length thereof, a friction holding plate adjacent theload-carrying end of said housing, a transverse shelf secured within thehousing, a spring between said shelf and holding plate to hold thelatter in a canted position to frictionally grip the standard and holdthe housing against downward movement, a movable operating cage carriedby the standard within said housing and defining upper and lowershelves, said cage adapted to be adjusted in either direction to aposition in locked engagement with the housing, upper and lower springsseated against said shelves, a friction control plate supported betweenthe springs of said cage and adapted to be canted to frictionally gripthe standard when the cage is adjusted to a locked position, anoperating lever pivoted to the control plate, and a link pivoted to saidoperating lever to act upon said holding plate independently of thehousing for releasing the holding plate when said cage is adjusted to aposition in which the control plate is canted in a direction to grip thestandard against upward movement thereof.

9. In a jack of the class described, the combination of a standard, ahousing surrounding said standard and having oneV end adapted as aload-carrying member, said housing being movable on said standard, upperand lower friction control members operatively associated with thehousing and adapted to interlock with said standard when in relativeangular position therewith, and means associated with one of saidcontrol members for selectively canting said one member to determine thedirection of movement of said housing on the standard.

10. In a jack of the class described, the combination of a standard, anoperating housing, a load-carrying member secured at one end of saidhousing, said housing and load-carrying member movable on the standard,a holding member operatively associated with said housing and adapted tofrictionally grip the standard to hold the housing against movement in adownward direction when the holding member is canted in one direction, acontrol member operatively associated with said housing and adapted tofrictionally grip the standard when in canted relation therewith, anoperating lever mechanism mounted on said control member and operativelyconnected to said housing and holding member, and means associated withsaid control member for selectively controlling the canted directionthereof whereby the operation of the lever mechanism moves said housingin one direction along the standard when the holding and control membersare canted in the same direction and the housing moves alon/g thestandard in the opposite direction when said members are canted inopposite directions.

G. GUNNI.

